15 Weird, Wacky President Nicknames

It may seem like political name-calling is worse today than ever before. But history is riddled with examples of funny, insulting and even outrageous monikers doled out by political allies and opponents. Here are 15 president nicknames from the history of the United States that honor, chide and insult.

Also, be sure and check out the full list of all U. S. president nicknames below!

Unusual (and sometimes irreverent) president nicknames

These are some of our favorite and lesser-known president nicknames.

1. “Sword of the Revolution” – George Washington

Washington gained this nickname for leading the Revolutionary War victory.

2. “His Rotundity, the Duke of Braintree” – John Adams

The short, heavy-set Adams was given this nickname by members of Congress as a way of having fun at his sense of importance; Adams was born in Braintree, MA.

3. “The Last Cocked Hat” – James Monroe

Monroe was the last president to wear the tricorne hat—made famous during the Revolutionary War.

4. “Jack Ass” – Andrew Jackson

Critics called Jackson this derogatory nickname, but he embraced it; eventually a jackass (donkey), became the unofficial symbol of the Democratic Party.

5. “Old Granny” – William Henry Harrison

Critics gave William Henry Harrison this name to highlight Harrison’s age and so-called old fashioned thinking.

6. “Ten-Cent Jimmy” – James Buchanan

Opponents dubbed Buchanan Ten-Cent Jimmy after his comment that ten cents a day was fair pay for a day’s work.

7. “Spotty Lincoln” – Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln gained this moniker because of his proclivity to push “spot resolutions” through Congress.

8. “Great Hammerer” – Ulysses S. Grant

Grant was given this name after his accomplishments in the Civil War.

9. “Rutherfraud” – Rutherford B. Hayes

This derogatory nickname reflected the disputed 1876 presidential election results which led to Hayes’ presidency.

10. “Uncle Jumbo” – Grover Cleveland

Cleveland was a large man, weighing over 250 pounds at a height of 5’11”.

11. “The Human Iceberg” – Benjamin Harrison

Harrison had a cold demeanor when speaking to people one-on-one.

12. “Wobbly Willie” – William McKinley

McKinley was reluctant to go to war with Spain in 1898. His critics were ready to pounce.

13. “Duckpin” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

Eisenhower loved to play duckpin bowling—a smaller version of regular bowling.

14. “Tricky Dick” – Richard Nixon

Nixon’s critics called him “Tricky Dick” for his questionable campaign tactics.

15. “Slick Willie” – Bill Clinton

Opponents used this name to describe Clinton’s slipperiness in eluding political consequences.

List of all U.S. presidents and their nicknames

The list of president nicknames is a long one. The tradition began with the first American president, George Washington, and continues to this day. Let’s take a look at some of the more noteworthy nicknames given to our nation’s leaders.

1. George Washington

The Sage of Mount Vernon – named after his plantation home on the Potomac River in Virginia

The American Cincinnatus – after the famous Roman warrior

The American Fabius – for using a Fabian military strategy to fight the British in the Revolutionary War

The Father of His Country – for being the first president of the United States of America

2. John Adams

The Colossus of Independence – for being an advocate and leader for independence

27. William Howard Taft

Big Chief and Big Bill – Taft was a large man; he stood 6 feet tall and weighed more than 240 pounds

Big Lub – a nickname from childhood

28. Woodrow Wilson

The Phrasemaker – Wilson was able to draw on his vast historical knowledge to craft his speeches

Coiner of Weasel Words – a criticism waged by Teddy Roosevelt

The Schoolmaster or the Professor – he fit the image of a educational task-master

29. Warren G. Harding

Wobbly Warren – for his equivocating personality and appearing to change sides on issues

30. Calvin Coolidge

Cautious Cal – Coolidge was known to pause and think things through before speaking

Cool Cal – from his campaign slogan “Keep It Cool With Coolidge”

Silent Cal – reflecting the fact that Coolidge rarely spoke

31. Herbert Hoover

The Great Engineer – for his knowledge of civil engineering

The Great Humanitarian – for his work with the American Relief Administration in fighting famine

The Chief – a name he picked up in Australia working as a geologist as a young man

Grand Old Man – for his leadership of the Grand Old Party (GOP)

32. Franklin D. Roosevelt

FDR – he became known by his initials, as was his family tradition

Houdini in the White House – FDR had a magical touch in the White House

That Man in the White House – opponents used this term instead of saying his name

King Franklin – he was given this name when Queen Elizabeth’s and King George VI visited America in 1939

The Sphinx – for his penchant for secrecy about running for a third presidential term

The Boss – for his leadership in the White House

33. Harry S. Truman

Give ‘Em Hell Harry – from his campaign slogan

Haberdasher Harry – as a young man, Truman co-owned a clothing store

King Harry – a derogatory term by his critics

34. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Ike – a childhood name; also used as his campaign slogan (“I Like Ike”)

Kansas Cyclone – Ike got this nickname for being a skilled football player

35. John F. Kennedy

Jack – men named John are commonly called “Jack”; his family nickname growing up

JFK – like FDR, Kennedy became known by his initials

36. Lyndon B. Johnson

Bullshit Johnson (or Bull Johnson) – for his boastful reputation

Landslide Lyndon – a sarcastic reference to his narrow Senate win in 1949

Light-Bulb Lyndon – to save electricity he would march about the White House turning off unnecessary lights

LBJ – used in his campaign slogan “All the way with LBJ”

37. Richard Nixon

Sir Richard the Chicken Hearted – Hubert Humphrey used this name to bait Nixon into participating in the presidential debates of 1968

38. Gerald Ford

Jerry – a shortening of his name

Mr. Nice Guy – for his non-partisan and non-offensive demeanor

Did You Know?

Gerald Ford was born with a different name in 1913—he was originally called Leslie Lynch King, Jr. Two weeks after his birth, his parents separated. Ford took his stepfather’s name—Gerald R. Ford Jr.— when his mother remarried.

39. Jimmy Carter

The Peanut Farmer – Carter was a peanut farmer and used the image to convey himself as a Washington outsider

40. Ronald Reagan

Dutch – his father said he looked like a fat Dutchman as a baby; as a child he wore his hair in a Dutch-boy style

The Great Communicator – Reagan was lauded for his communication ability

The Gipper – Reagan played the role of George Gipp (“The Gipper”) in the film “Knute Rockne, All American”

The Teflon President – for his ability to escape blame or criticism; his hair was always perfect

41. George H. W. Bush

Poppy – from his childhood

41 – most of the senior Bush’s nicknames came to be after his son became president, in order to distinguish the two; similar nicknames include: Papa Bush, Bush 41, Bush Senior and Senior

42. Bill Clinton

Bubba – a common nickname for southern men

The Comeback Kid – reflecting his ability to reinvigorate his political life

The First Black President – Toni Morrison coined the nickname, reflecting Clinton’s popularity with African Americans

The Big Dog – Clinton rode a wave of popularity after his presidency

Billary – a combination of Bill and Hillary Clinton’s first names; used in reference to the political power couple

43. George W. Bush

Dubya – a Texas drawl pronunciation of his middle initial “W”

43 – like his father, most of George W. Bush’s nicknames illuminated the distinction between the father and son presidents; similar nicknames include: Bush Jr., Junior and Bush 43

44. Barack Obama

No Drama Obama – for his meticulous campaign organization and his reputation for calmness and confidence as a leader

45. Donald Trump

The Donald – given to him by his first wife Ivana Trump

45 – a self-reference to his presidency monogrammed on his clothing

Conspiracy Theorist-in-Chief – for his willingness to embrace wild conspiracies

As you can see, the United States has a rich history of political insult-slinging and name calling. This list of president nicknames highlights some of the best and most vicious. As Winston Churchill once said of political mud-slinging: “In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times.”